Calisthenics

I’m doing a lot of dips these days – I follow up almost every cardio session with a handful of sets. To keep myself interested I like to mix up my sets, reps and grips to keep – after all GPP days are the ideal place for some variety! Here are my thoughts on the wide vs narrow dips debate… At a glance… Narrower grip focuses on triceps Wider grip is more chest biased If you are just starting out then a NARROW grip is typically easier on the body Wider grips tend to agitate wrists and shoulders in people …

Comparing wide vs narrow dips: DRAW! Read More »

I am in the process of dismantling my home gym to relocate. One of the chores on the ‘list’ is to dismantle the power rack – pull up bar and all. I’m taking the opportunity to change up my set up, including the mounting height of the bar. But just how high should a pull up bar be?! Here’s what I’ve found out… At a glance… Your pull up bar should be mounted 200cm – 250cm high Headroom is more important than bar height – leave around 50cm of clearance ABOVE the bar You must be able to dead-hang from …

How HIGH should a pull up bar be? (200 – 250cm) Read More »

I’ve been incorporating dips in to my workouts consistently for around 6 months as an assistance movement for bench press, and for a little extra tricep hypertrophy! In that time I’ve experimented with various dip stations and dip widths – here’s what I’ve learned so far. At a glance… Dip bars should be approximately shoulder width apart (45cm – 60cm on average) You can measure this on the fly by using the distance from your elbow to the tip of your fingers to set the bars Tapering your dip bars lets you experiment with different grip widths easily during a …

How far apart should dip bars be? (THIS far) Read More »

As with any exercise there are a ton of benefits to incorporating L-sit pull ups in to your workout routines – BUT also a few drawbacks. I love the improved body awareness and control they build which benefits other bodyweight movements, but HATE how difficult they are to begin with! Here’s what you need to know… At a glance… There are 6 benefits to L-sit pull ups listed below… As well as a big negative! Improved body control is the number one benefit … closely followed by their sneaky way of adding extra ab work in to my workouts! Incorporate …

9 EPIC L-sit pull up benefits (and 1 big NEGATIVE!) Read More »

I find the L-sit a super intense exercise and, from time to time, I find myself wanting to skip it – particularly at the end of a gruelling session! Having a few L-sit alternatives up my sleeve for those workout days is an excellent way to ensure I still get the ab-work I need, even if I can’t face another L-sit… At a glance… The PLANK is the best L-sit alternative as it replicates the isometric hold component of an L-sit and heavily targets the abdominals Ab wheel rollouts are my second favourite substitute – they have lower time under …

9 AWESOME L-Sit alternatives! Read More »

Are you bored of planks? They why not give the L-sit a whirl! Similar to planking, the L-sit is an isometric move that focuses on building your core. Here’s everything you need to know as an L-sit beginner! At a glance… L-sits are NOT easy and should not be underestimated They are so hard because they rely not only on STRENGTH, but also FLEXIBILITY! There are 6 steps to the perfect L-sit listed out below You should be able to hold an L-sit for 5-10 second initially, gradually increasing to 30-45 seconds per hold Use tucks (with feel on the …

ULTIMATE guide to L-sits for beginners Read More »

I am almost ALWAYS looking for different ways to train my core – hitting abs is something I often shy away from, so I try and use VARIETY to keep me motivated! Hanging L-sits are a great addition for me – I can perform them quickly at the end of a workout without needing to spend time setting up any more equipment. Here’s what you need to know about L-hangs (as some people call them!) At a glance… Hanging L sits are an excellent isometric core and hip flexor movement that just requires a pull up bar to perform A …

7-step guide to a PERFECT hanging L sit! Read More »

If you’ve mastered the pull-up then the L-sit variant awaits! It engages the core by working your abs SUPER hard, while still smashing your back. And best of all – NO KIPPING! Here’s all you need to know about this ego-killing pull up! At a glance… An L-sit pull up combines a tough ab and core exercise in the L sit with a back-smashing strict hollow pull up The L-sit position puts us at a mechanical disadvantage through the pull-up movement making it feel harder There are 6 steps outlined below to perform both an L-sit AND a strict pull …

CONQUER L-sit pull ups in 12 steps! Read More »

I want to do muscle ups – my issue is that my ceiling is too low at the moment! To get myself in to shape to perform a muscle up I have started cycling false grip pull ups in to the workout routine. Here’s all you need to know about them… At a glance… A false grip has your wrist in a position of strength on the TOP of the bar which ultimately enables a smooth transition to a muscle up Unless you want to progress to a muscle up, you probably don’t need to worry about a false grip …

WHY you DON’T NEED the false grip pull up! Read More »

If you’re trying to maximise your pull up reps then I am sure you have considered which grip style works best for you – should you go for a pull up grip with your thumb OVER or UNDER the bar?! Here’s what you should consider… At a glance… I prefer thumbs over grip for controlled sets of 10-15 reps Thumbs OVER puts less torque through the elbow and can be more comfortable for some Thumbs UNDER is better for kipping pull ups or those more comfortable working their forearms more A FALSE GRIP is when the hands are turned in …

Which pull up grip: Thumbs OVER or UNDER? Read More »